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Season guide

Doctor Who: Season 5

40 episodes Premiered Sep 2, 1967 Updated Sep 25, 2026

Doctor Who Season 5 continues the overarching saga of the series. The narrative follows the adventures of the Doctor, a mysterious humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. As the protagonist, the Doctor travels through time and space using a time machine called the TARDIS. Throughout these travels, the Doctor experiences various adventures. The series, which originated in 1963, is recognized as a significant component of

Previously on Doctor Who

Season 5 Lore Primer

Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.

  • ⚡ The Doctor is a mysterious humanoid alien known as a Time Lord.
  • ⚡ The Doctor utilizes a time machine called the TARDIS to travel through time and space.
  • ⚡ The series follows a format generally consisting of multi-episode serials.
  • ⚡ The show is a long-running science fiction production that originated in 1963.
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Season overview

Doctor Who Season 5 continues the overarching saga of the series. The narrative follows the adventures of the Doctor, a mysterious humanoid alien known as a Time Lord. As the protagonist, the Doctor travels through time and space using a time machine called the TARDIS. Throughout these travels, the Doctor experiences various adventures. The series, which originated in 1963, is recognized as a significant component of British pop culture and holds a record in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-running and most successful science fiction television series. The structure of the original series generally consists of multi-episode serials. This specific season encompasses a total of 40 episodes, maintaining the established format of the show as it chronicles the ongoing journeys of the Doctor across different points in time and space. The series is categorized under the genres of drama, action and adventure, and science fiction and fantasy. As a long-running production, the show continues to explore the character's interactions with the universe, utilizing the TARDIS as the primary vehicle for navigating the complexities of time travel while encountering various challenges and environments throughout the expansive narrative arc presented in this season.

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Season 5 Episodes

Episode Guide

🛡️ SPOILER SHIELD

Season 5 Progress Shield

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Binge Efficiency Engine

Season 5: Filler vs. Essential Canon

Filter episodes by narrative weight. Focus on essential mytharc and skip standalone side quests.

Time Saved 0.4h Skipping 1 filler episode
8%
90%
Mytharc (3): Crucial lore & season climaxes
Core (36): Character development & subplots
Side Quest (1): Standalone / filler
S5·E1 Mytharc

The Tomb of the Cybermen (1)

Sep 2, 1967 · 25 min

The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria arrive on Telos, where an archaeological group are exploring the Tomb of the Cybermen. But are the Cybermen as dormant as they believe?

S5·E2 Filler

The Tomb of the Cybermen (2)

Sep 9, 1967 · 25 min

The archaeologists learn they are stranded on Telos and Klieg suggests they use the opportunity to explore the Cybermen's tombs.

S5·E3 Core

The Tomb of the Cybermen (3)

Sep 16, 1967 · 25 min

The Cybermen have been revived and plan to convert the archeologists into their own kind, prompting Hopper to attempt a rescue.

S5·E4 Core

The Tomb of the Cybermen (4)

Sep 23, 1967 · 25 min

Klieg attempts to do a deal with the Cybercontroller while the Doctor tries to find a way to refreeze the Cybermen permanently.

S5·E5 Core

The Abominable Snowmen (1)

Sep 30, 1967 · 25 min

When the TARDIS materialises in the Himalayas, the Doctor decides to pay a return visit to the nearby Det-Sen monastery only to be accused of murder.

S5·E6 Core

The Abominable Snowmen (2)

Oct 7, 1967 · 25 min

Jamie and Victoria make their way to the monastery shortly before it is attacked by the Yeti.

S5·E7 Core

The Abominable Snowmen (3)

Oct 14, 1967 · 25 min

While the Doctor and Jamie return to the TARDIS for equipment, the control sphere Jamie brought to the monastery is reactivated.

S5·E8 Core

The Abominable Snowmen (4)

Oct 21, 1967 · 25 min

The Yeti escapes from the monastery and Victoria and Thonmi are accused of assisting it, while the Doctor and Jamie endure a perilous journey back across the mountains.

S5·E9 Core

The Abominable Snowmen (5)

Oct 28, 1967 · 25 min

Victoria falls under the mental influence of Padmasambhva as the Yeti attack in order to drive the monks from the area.

S5·E10 Core

The Abominable Snowmen (6)

Nov 4, 1967 · 25 min

With the Great Intelligence on the verge of becoming corporeal, the Doctor challenges Padmasambhva to a mental battle in order to defeat it.

S5·E11 Core

The Ice Warriors (1)

Nov 11, 1967 · 25 min

The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria are brought to a base which is attempting to halt the flow of the Second Ice Age.

S5·E12 Core

The Ice Warriors (2)

Nov 18, 1967 · 25 min

Varga revives and takes Victoria hostage as he works to revive his crew while the Doctor and Jamie find Penley stealing medical supplies.

S5·E13 Core

The Ice Warriors (3)

Nov 25, 1967 · 25 min

Jamie and Arden venture out to rescue Victoria only to find the rest of the Ice Warriors are now active.

S5·E14 Core

The Ice Warriors (4)

Dec 2, 1967 · 25 min

The Doctor leaves the base to try and find Jamie and Victoria while Storr tries to do a deal with the Ice Warriors.

S5·E15 Core

The Ice Warriors (5)

Dec 9, 1967 · 25 min

The Doctor and Victoria are both held prisoner by the Ice Warriors as Varga decides to take over Brittanicus.

S5·E16 Core

The Ice Warriors (6)

Dec 16, 1967 · 25 min

The Doctor and Victoria attempt to force the Ice Warriors to surrender control of the ioniser before the ice flow destroys them.

S5·E17 Core

The Enemy of the World (1)

Dec 23, 1967 · 25 min

After the Doctor is attacked by a group of mysterious gunmen, he discovers he is the physical double of the famous scientist Salamander.

S5·E18 Core

The Enemy of the World (2)

Dec 30, 1967 · 25 min

Jamie and Victoria agree to accompany Astrid to Hungary to observe Salamander's activities.

S5·E19 Core

The Enemy of the World (3)

Jan 6, 1968 · 25 min

Jamie and Victoria join Astrid into attempting to rescue Denes but Salamander becomes suspicious of them.

S5·E20 Core

The Enemy of the World (4)

Jan 13, 1968 · 25 min

Fariah brings the Doctor and Kent evidence of Salamander's activities but then they come under attack from Benik.

S5·E21 Core

The Enemy of the World (5)

Jan 20, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor persuades Bruce to help him infiltrate Salamander's research centre while Salamander takes drastic action to prevent Swann finding out the truth.

S5·E22 Core

The Enemy of the World (6)

Jan 27, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor discovers the true link between Salamander and Kent while Astrid tries to convince the shelter inhabitants they have been lied to.

S5·E23 Core

The Web of Fear (1)

Feb 3, 1968 · 25 min

The TARDIS becomes trapped in space before ending up in an underground station of a mysteriously deserted London.

S5·E24 Core

The Web of Fear (2)

Feb 10, 1968 · 25 min

Jamie and Victoria are reunited with Travers before Jamie joins the soldiers in attempting to find out what has happened to the Doctor.

S5·E25 Core

The Web of Fear (3)

Feb 17, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor and Victoria are taken back to the Goodge Street base by Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart where the Doctor becomes convinced there is a traitor in their midst.

S5·E26 Core

The Web of Fear (4)

Feb 24, 1968 · 25 min

With Travers having been captured by the Yeti, the Doctor attempts to find a way to gain control of the robots while Lethbridge-Stewart tries to recover the TARDIS.

S5·E27 Core

The Web of Fear (5)

Mar 2, 1968 · 25 min

Victoria and Travers are held prisoner by the Great Intelligence, who is planning to drain the Doctor's mind.

S5·E28 Core

The Web of Fear (6)

Mar 9, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor and his friends are held prisoner by the Intelligence and their only hope lies with Jamie, Arnold and a reprogrammed Yeti.

S5·E29 Core

Fury from the Deep (1)

Mar 16, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria are taken prisoner by the staff of a gas refinery, who have lost contact with their drilling rigs and experienced mysterious drops in pressure.

S5·E30 Core

Fury from the Deep (2)

Mar 23, 1968 · 25 min

Harris asks for the Doctor's help with Maggie, while Van Lutyens and the Chief Engineer attempt to find out what is blocking the impeller.

S5·E31 Core

Fury from the Deep (3)

Mar 30, 1968 · 25 min

While the Doctor begins his investigation into the weed creatures, Robson is attacked by one at the refinery.

S5·E32 Core

Fury from the Deep (4)

Apr 6, 1968 · 25 min

Van Lutyens' investigation of the base of the impeller places the Doctor and Jamie in danger from the Weed Creature.

S5·E33 Core

Fury from the Deep (5)

Apr 13, 1968 · 25 min

With the Weed Creature poised to burst out of the pipeline and attack the base, an encounter with Oak and Quill gives the Doctor a vital clue about its weakness.

S5·E34 Core

Fury from the Deep (6)

Apr 20, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor and Jamie rescue Victoria from Robson and realise they can destroy the Weed Creature with sound waves.

S5·E35 Core

The Wheel in Space (1)

Apr 27, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor and Jamie arrive on a mysterious spacecraft whose only occupant is a dangerous Servo Robot.

S5·E36 Core

The Wheel in Space (2)

May 4, 1968 · 25 min

The Doctor and Jamie are brought aboard the Wheel where Jamie is horrified to learn the crew plan to destroy the Silver Carrier with the TARDIS on board.

S5·E37 Core

The Wheel in Space (3)

May 11, 1968 · 25 min

Jamie sabotages the Wheel's x-ray laser, unknowingly giving the Cybermen an opportunity to reach the Wheel.

S5·E38 Core

The Wheel in Space (4)

May 18, 1968 · 25 min

The Cybermen instruct their human slaves to smuggle them onto the Wheel while the Doctor attempts to convince Bennett of the threat they pose.

S5·E39 Mytharc

The Wheel in Space (5)

May 25, 1968 · 25 min

The Cybermen gain control of more members of the Wheel crew and the Doctor realises the only way to stop them is for Jamie and Zoe to make a dangerous space walk.

S5·E40 Mytharc

The Wheel in Space (6)

Jun 1, 1968 · 25 min

Jamie and Zoe attempt to recover the time vector generator while the Cybermen realise the Doctor is on the Wheel and make him their prime target.

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